


Everyone can see it (except us)

by Rosetylars



Category: Cricket RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Confessions, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Secret Crush, These idiots are in love and they’re the only ones oblivious to it, meddling family members, stoin is a pest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:02:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21581953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosetylars/pseuds/Rosetylars
Summary: “What’s really going on with you two?”Pat shook his head. “Absolutely nothing. We’re mates, that’s it.”Shaun scoffed. “My dad said you guys were holding hands before.”“He was inspecting my mosquito bite!” Pat protested.“Cam said Mitch tripped over in excitement to see you,” Shaun stated.“He just got his feet tangled up!”“And that you put his sunscreen on for him,” Shaun continued.“He’s got a broken hand!”***AKA Mitch and Pat are mad for each other and they’re the only ones who can’t see it
Relationships: Mitch Marsh/Pat Cummins
Comments: 13
Kudos: 22





	Everyone can see it (except us)

**Author's Note:**

> This is fiction!
> 
> Not related to my other Pitch fic :)

Following the first test at the Gabba, Pat had a couple of days off in Brisbane before the team moved on to Adelaide for the day-night test. 

Coincidentally, the final of the Marsh Cup - the ironic latest name of the State one day competition - was in Brisbane on Tuesday, and it was Queensland hosting WA. 

Even though Mitch wasn’t fully recovered from his broken hand, as captain of the team he joined the boys on the trip to Brisbane. 

Pat and Mitch were desperate to see each other. As mates, of course. Because they were best mates. Nothing more. When Mitch had asked if Pat would come along and help him support Shaun and the team, Pat had agreed without giving it a second thought. It had been a few weeks since they’d last seen each other, and with Mitch’s injury, neither of them knew when the next opportunity might arise. 

So that was how Pat ended up at the state final even though NSW hadn’t qualified. When he arrived at AB Field, the first person he ran into was Mitch and Shaun’s dad, Geoff, who was part of the Western Australia staff. 

Geoff was glad to see Pat, and let him know that Mitch would be thrilled to see him. If he had a twinkle in his eye as he spoke, Pat was oblivious to it, and followed Geoff’s directions to find Mitch in the pavilion. 

Pat rounded a corner and saw Mitch sitting on portable camp chairs in the shade with a few of his teammates. 

As soon as they made eye contact, Mitch rushed to stand up and greet Pat, but in his haste he managed to trip over Cam Bancroft’s foot and tip his own chair over in the process. 

“Shit,” Mitch cringed, “that wasn’t the welcome I had planned.”

They shared a hug, and Mitch momentarily rested his head on Pat’s shoulder, his heart warm to see Pat again. Because they were best friends. Of course. 

Once they broke apart, Pat grinned. “What did you have planned?” 

Mitch, caught up in his feelings, just gave a hopeless shrug. 

Luckily for Mitch, there was an announcement over the loudspeakers that the coin toss was about to take place, and the boys found another shaded spot to sit and watch the match from. 

Cam offered everyone the big team sunscreen pump, and Mitch just grimaced as he looked at his broken hand. 

“Here, I can help,” Pat offered. He pumped out a small dob of sunscreen onto his fingers and rubbed some into Mitch’s face and neck before he did his own. 

Cam cooed at them, but neither of them took any notice. 

As usual, they got on like a house on fire, and Mitch’s initial nerves at seeing Pat turned into warmth and pure joy to be around him once again. 

At one point during the first innings while Queensland were batting, Pat was sure he had a mosquito bite on his hand. 

“Let me see,” Mitch insisted. 

Pat extended his arm and Mitch took his hand, lifting it closer to his eyes. 

“I see it,” Mitch confirmed, rubbing around it with his fingertip like his mother used to do for him. “Try not to scratch it,” he warned. 

At that point, Geoff walked around the corner and saw the boys together. He saw Pat’s hand in Mitch’s and lit up with a genuine smile. He didn’t stop, continuing on his way to speak to the coaching staff. 

***  
WA won the match, mostly thanks to an incredible 101 not out by Shaun. Mitch was beside himself with pride for his brother. When Shaun was on 99, Billy Stanlake bowled a particularly brilliant ball, and in his shock Mitch had reached out and squeezed Pat’s thigh beside him. Shaun didn’t nick the ball, though, so he was safe, and Mitch released his grip on Pat with a shy smile. 

When they made eye contact, Pat was chuckling silently to himself. 

They all headed back to the WA change rooms to celebrate. Mitch cracked open a beer for Shaun first, who accepted it gratefully, and then opened a second and offered it to Pat. 

“Better not with the test coming up,” he declined ruefully, “I’m probably not drinking enough water as it is.”

At that, Mitch took a few steps over to the esky and handed Pat a cold bottle of water. Mitch kept the second beer for himself, and they sat on a bench chatting and watching the festivities unfold. 

After a while, Shaun came over and sat down on Mitch’s other side. “Not like you to sit and watch a party,” he commented. 

“Bit tough to party with a broken hand,” Mitch grimaced. “I’m happy here with my mate Patty, though,” he bumped Pat’s shoulder gently with his own. 

Shaun was happy enough with his answer, and after a moment, Mitch excused himself to go to the bathroom then grab new drinks for himself and Shaun. 

While he was gone, Shaun scooted a little closer to Pat on the bench. 

“Austin asked me the other day whether you were Mitch’s husband,” Shaun said, ignoring the shock on Pat’s face. 

“Wh- what on Earth did you say?” Pat spluttered. 

Shaun shrugged sagely. “Not yet.” 

Pat’s raging blush engulfed his cheeks, and Mitch returned, handing Shaun a full bottle of beer. He had his own tucked under his arm because of his cast. 

“Thanks Mitch, I’ll leave you boys to it,” Shaun accepted the drink and stood up, winking at his brother as he walked away. 

“Hope he didn’t say anything incriminating,” Mitch sat back down beside Pat. 

Pat’s cheeks were still on fire as he debated internally whether to tell Mitch what Shaun had said. 

After Pat’s moment of hesitation, Mitch said, “Oh god, what aren’t you telling me?” 

“He told me Austin asked him if you and I were married,” Pat admitted. 

Mitch shouldn’t have taken a sip of his beer as Pat spoke, because in his shock he spat it out all over Pat. 

“Fuck, I’m so sorry,” Mitch groaned. He looked frantically around him and couldn’t see anything to wipe his beer spit off of Pat, so he pulled off his WA polo and dabbed at Pat’s chest with it like a rag. 

Shaun chose that wonderful moment to return. “What the fuck, boys?” 

Pat was flustered, shocked and sticky, and Mitch was frantic and shirtless, half in Pat’s lap where he was trying to dry him off. Shaun looked between them, totally bewildered, lost for words. 

Marcus Stoinis noticed them from across the room, and at the top of his voice, announced to the entire room, “Hey everyone! Mitch and Patty are finally dating!”

The entire room, which had been buzzing three seconds prior, went silent. Everyone turned to stare at Pat and Mitch. Mitch clambered off Pat’s lap and tried to put his shirt back on, but it was far too late. 

At the same time, both boys protested. 

“We’re not-“

“Me and Patty are-“

The noise in the room picked up again, but this time the boys knew it was about them. They didn’t get the chance to explain themselves. 

“What’s really going on here?” Shaun asked. 

“I spat beer on Pat by accident and tried to clean it up with my shirt,” Mitch answered honestly, still totally humiliated. 

Shaun looked as though he didn’t believe him, but nodded anyway. 

Mitch couldn’t handle everyone pretending not to look at them, so he excused himself once again and rushed to the bathroom, honestly admitting he needed some air. 

Shaun sat back down next to Pat, who was totally shell-shocked. “Does he know he won’t get any air in the toilet?”

Pat laughed slightly at that, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I don’t blame him for leaving. That was the most embarrassing two minutes of my life and people are still talking about me. Us.”

Shaun frowned. “What’s really going on with you two?”

Pat shook his head. “Absolutely nothing. We’re mates, that’s it.”

Shaun scoffed. “My dad said you guys were holding hands before.”

“He was inspecting my mosquito bite!” Pat protested. 

“Cam said Mitch tripped over in excitement to see you,” Shaun stated. 

“He just got his feet tangled up!” 

“And that you put his sunscreen on for him,” Shaun continued. 

“He’s got a broken hand!”

Shaun rolled his eyes. “Patty, when are you gonna realise that Mitch absolutely adores you?”

Pat narrowed his eyes. “We’re best mates, Shaun-“

“No, don’t give me that bullshit. You know I mean it differently than ‘mates.’”

Pat stared at Shaun. He paused for a moment. “So you’re trying to say Mitch... has feelings for me?” Pat’s heart rate had doubled. 

Shaun poked a finger to Pat’s temple. “Took you long enough,” he smiled, “just hope he doesn’t kill me for telling you. I couldn’t cope with him pining for you any longer. These five or so years have been bad enough.” 

Pat was utterly speechless, and Shaun got up to rejoin the party. He clapped Pat on the shoulder as he went. After a moment, Shaun turned back to Pat and whispered, “Maybe you should ‘get some air’ too.”

Pat rushed through the crowd towards the bathroom, ignoring all the wolf whistles and cheers aimed in his direction. 

When he reached the relative silence of the bathroom, he saw Mitch standing by a sink, washing his face with his one good hand. 

Mitch looked up, wiping the water out of his eyes, and looked totally forlorn when he saw Pat. 

“Patty, I’m so sorry for dragging you into this shit,” he groaned. 

Pat frowned and moved to stand beside Mitch. He put a hand on Mitch’s shoulder. “Hey, you didn’t drag me into anything. Stoin shouldn’t have said that, that’s not your fault,” Pat placated. 

Mitch huffed a mirthless laugh and shook his head. “Now my damn splint has sticky beer in it and I can’t wash it cause I have a broken fucking hand!” He pounded his good fist on the vanity bench in frustration. 

Pat hushed him. “Tell me how I can help you,” he offered calmly. 

Mitch explained where the Velcro fastenings were and Pat took the plastic splint off very gently. He washed the inside with soap and water, and dried it with paper towel. Pat very carefully worked with Mitch to get the splint back on and fastened. 

“I’m still so sorry about everything today,” Mitch mumbled when Pat let his hand go. He leaned back against the sink, eyes downcast. He couldn’t meet Pat’s gaze. 

Pat observed Mitch. His floppy brown hair was a mess on his forehead, and Pat couldn’t help but reach out and push it back for him. 

“Pat,” Mitch said lowly.

Pat looked him in the eyes. “Tell me if I’ve got this all wrong,” he whispered. He put his hands on Mitch’s jaw, and leant in. Mitch’s eyes fluttered shut, and Pat kissed him softly on the lips. It was over the moment after it began. 

“Sorry-“ Pat began, but Mitch cut him off with another kiss. This time, their kiss lasted longer. Mitch put his good hand over Pat’s where it rested on his jaw, and folded his fingers between Pat’s. 

After a few moments, their lips broke apart, but Mitch kept his forehead pressed to Pat’s. “I’ve waited so fucking long for this, Patty,” Mitch whispered. 

They kissed again. 

“I never had any idea you felt the same way I did,” Pat admitted softly. 

Mitch frowned. “How did you know today?”

Pat cringed. “Shaun may have had something to do with it.”

Mitch rolled his eyes but couldn’t fight the grin that unfurled across his face. “He couldn’t keep his nose out of my business even if he were Voldemort,” Mitch said, and they both laughed. 

Pat pecked Mitch’s lips once more. “Come on, you’ve got a party to get back to.”

When they left the bathroom holding hands, nobody was surprised. Shaun was grinning from ear to ear, and not just due to his heroics of the day.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Any kudos or comments would be greatly appreciated, they really motivate me to keep writing!


End file.
